Skip to content 
Workout, Happening, and Updates at CROSSFIT DES PLAINES
The Blog
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
Get Out! Benefits of Being Outdoors
If you haven’t already felt somewhat cooped up, it’s a great time to get outdoors (with precautions!) with the weather getting warmer, and for many
Top 10 Tips for Staying Healthy During COVID-19
Wow, has it really almost been an entire month since we’ve last seen many of your smiling faces!? Regardless, we are glad to continue seeing
CFDP Goes Virtual
With doing our parts in staying at home, we have also committed to provide our members with the opportunity to continue to stay fit at
Supporting a Strong Immune System
During a hectic time of a pandemic outbreak, where schools, businesses and even whole cities are beginning to close their doors in attempts to isolate,
Lessons from a CrossFit Des Plaines Coach
Three years back, I was preparing myself to leave the 6th grade classroom after four years of teaching and four years of training and eventually,
Sleep is for the ATHLETE
Going to CrossFit classes several times a week can certainly start to take a toll on your body, as exercise, although a positive stressor, does
CrossFit is Training for Your Best Life
Most people think CrossFit is all about lifting big, moving fast & getting “as many reps as possible” but it may have been the sport
Kitchen Inventory & Sweep!
It’s mid-January and we’re curious about how your New Year’s resolutions are going! If you committed yourself to going to the gym more often, are
Benefits of Group Training
Ever felt that feeling like you are dragging yourself to the gym? It can sometimes be a chore if we’re just starting out, or haven’t
Benefits of the Beginners’ Just Move 6-week Program
If you’re thinking about a new workout routine that needs to get you back in shape, building strength, toning up and shredding some body fat
Beat the Winter Blues!
Some of us may feel like we’re in more of a “funk” during the dark and dreary days of the wintertime here in the Midwest.
How many days a week should I exercise?
One of the most common questions we get from our newer members is how many days a week should I exercise? The answer is not
The Confusion on Caffeine: Benefits & Side Effects
One of America’s most widely used drugs? Caffeine. Yes, there is a drug in that cup of joe of yours. Drug, noun: “a medicine or
Staying on Track Through the Holidays
With Halloween approaching next week, the domino-effect mindset of holiday season challenges us to stay on track with our fitness and nutrition as we dive
Surviving a Toxic Relationship with Food
At that time, it seemed like it was certainly “just a phase” – restricting eating, over-exercising, eating in private, and even bingeing on food. Everyone
Five Anytime Prehab Exercises To Do On Your Own
Have a couple minutes before CrossFit class? Maybe you’re thinking about how you can prepare yourself for movement after a long weekend of traveling, or
It’s OPEN SEASON #CrossFit
“CrossFit is SO MUCH FUN!…” says hardly anyone ever… until the CrossFit Open begins! It’s that time of year where we as a community come
Should I fast? Benefits and Setbacks of Fasting
Fasting, particularly, intermittent fasting has become a very common fad for those who are looking for the next method or regimen to try for their
Beyond the Calories and Macros: Bioactive Foods
In the modern American diet, we are often very fixated on numbers and quantities: calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats. Low-carb, high-protein, high-fat, low-fat. Gluten free, dairy
The Athlete Lifecycle at CrossFit Des Plaines
Everyone comes from their own background and experience, when it comes to their fitness. Once you’re here with us, we try to take your fitness
When can my child start CrossFit?
Many parents might wonder “When can my child start CrossFit?” CrossFit training is designed to be able to incorporate functional fitness and improve health for
I’m Just Not Getting It!
It might be the third or fourth time you’re just not quite getting that skill you’re working on for the past few weeks, and you’re
Should I Start with the Fundamentals?
If you’re new to CrossFit, starting with a Foundations program can be highly beneficial before beginning your regular CrossFit classes or personal training sessions. At
Getting Unstuck: Starting with Your Language
Many people come through the doors of CrossFit Des Plaines with a pain point, or with a problem. They might not know this yet, but
The CrossFit Games: Where to Watch
This weekend kicks off the beginning of the final portion of the CrossFit season: The 2019 CrossFit Games, hosted in Madison, Wisconsin. For over a
How Often Should I Weigh Myself?
How often are you currently stepping on the scale? What is your motive for doing so? At times, people tend to develop this sense of
The Transformation that started with a 6-week Challenge
We are all attracted to quick results: we seek out a deal on a flash sale on a product we’ve been eyeing, or maybe we’re
What’s with the Dynamic Drills?
If you’re in for a longer workout like a run, bike, or interval training workout, incorporating a dynamic stretching routine can have many benefits. It’s
Staying on Track Through the Summer Season
We are in the heat of the summer season, and if you’re feeling like it’s been harder than ever to stay on track with your
3 Ways to Increase your TDEE
TDEE: total daily energy expenditure. We all have a varying TDEE based on our current body composition, lifestyle habits and daily activities. A greater level
What can I expect in my 6-week challenge?
It’s almost that time we start the next round of Just Move! 6-week challenge, and here at CrossFit Des Plaines we want to make sure
Should I Sleep or Workout?
Is your body just asking for you to hit the snooze button each day, or maybe you’re never feeling like you’re fully rested? It might
Help! What do I eat?
There’s an overwhelming amount of information and media we are exposed to every day that pushes us to question: “What do I eat?” From the
Self Care is Health Care
Take a moment in your day to stop and pause to reflect: how many hours of the day are you contributing to self-care? Whether it’s
Is Personal Training for Me?
Though CrossFit training is typically delivered in a group setting, many beginners and even seasoned veterans begin to wonder is personal training for me? Carl
Returning to Fitness
We’ve all been there before: we’ve had to take a break and eventually make a return back to fitness. Even trainers, coaches, and the most
What’s a good warm up?
We often wonder “what’s a good warm up?” when we’re finally committed that one hour of time in our day to get moving. Sometimes, it
Balance your Plate, Balance a better You!
Let’s take a quick mental snapshot of each of the meals you ate yesterday. What did each plate consist of? How did that correlate to
Should I cut my carbs?
Keto. Low Carb. Atkins. You have probably heard of many of them before, and what’s similar about each one is they often promote the “cutting
Just Move… More!
Last week, CrossFit Des Plaines kicked off the 6-week challenge program, “Just Move”, a class designed for CrossFit beginners and those who are simply looking
The 2019 CrossFit Open
Over 60 of our members had taken part in the 2019 CrossFit Open this year! Between judges, participants, and coaches alike, all bringing the heat,
MindBody Transformation Challenge & Winner
Individuals who take on the MindBody Transformation challenge take on one of the biggest obstacles when making change: which is simply to commit to it.
Is CrossFit for Beginners?
Is CrossFit for beginners? Sometimes walking into a CrossFit gym for the first time might be incredibly confusing, overwhelming or downright unappealing. Many CrossFit gyms
Will I get hurt doing CrossFit?
It can be intimidating to take a step into a CrossFit “box” or watch the “CrossFit Games” on TV and quickly assume that your level
Should my children do CrossFit?
It can be intimidating for even an adult to walk into a CrossFit gym and think that this training methodology would be a good fit
Should I Change My Nutrition for Competition?
We receive a few questions from time to time about whether or not an individual should change their nutrition for competition or game day. The
5 Things to Know About the CrossFit Open
You’ve been hearing all the buzz–the CrossFit Open is right around the corner! Next Friday kicks off our first week of the CrossFit Open. Here’s
Progress is Progress
Often times we find ourselves putting in the hours, the effort and tend to feel like it still might not yield the outcome we are
Inflammatory Foods Part 2: Dairy and Alcohol
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Last week we posted Inflammatory Foods Part 1: Sugar and Gluten. This we take a brief look at two
Inflammatory Foods Part 1: Sugar and Gluten
Inflammation: An immune response from our bodies in aims to protect us from a harmful irritant**. Often times, Inflammation from foods are often hard to
It’s OPEN SEASON #CrossFit
“CrossFit is SO MUCH FUN!…” says hardly anyone ever… until the CrossFit Open begins! It’s that time of year where we as a community come
8 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started CrossFit
I’ve been doing CrossFit for a little over 5 years now, coaching CrossFit part-time for four, and full-time coaching between CrossFit, CrossFit Kids and nutrition
10 Ways to Reset Before the New Year
It’s the end of the year, often times we sit in this limbo week before the turn of a fresh start on January 1st. There’s
Surviving the Holidays: When You Are Trying to Stay Healthy
It’s that time of year! Holiday parties, cookies and all the warming beverages. Here are 5 tips for Surviving the Holidays when trying to maintain
Goal Setting p. 3: Taking Action
The past two week’s blogs have discussed the importance of setting goals with strong language while also aligning them with our values. Great! Now that
Goal Setting p. 2: Do your goals reflect your values?
Last week, we posted about the language we use to define our goals. This week, we want to talk about the purpose and depth behind
Goal Setting Mini Series p. 1: Soft vs. Solid Language
Many times when we’re setting goals, we might hold back from writing them down, or committing to them for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it
Why You Shouldn’t Worry about “Turkey Burn”
It’s that time of year when holidays can start to become a time of stress or angst for us when it comes to food, but
First and Last Six Weeks of 2018
Last week, we posted about how transformation begins within. Lots of us choose the start of a new week, month or year to commit to
Transformation: It Starts WithIN
Here’s the thing about transformation that you might not have thought about: *transformations begin with mindset change *transformations are executed through discipline and repetition *transformation
Fighting the Good Fight: 2nd Annual Barbells for Boobs Fundraiser
This past Saturday at CrossFit Des Plaines, our community came together for the 2nd year in a row to fight the good fight against breast
Infamous Signs and Effects of Under-eating
Many people are walking around each day experiencing different levels of hunger–from absolutely starving, to uncomfortably full, to somewhere in between. Sometimes people might wonder
EMOM Whattt? 5 Reasons Why You Should do EMOM Training
EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute. This is a type of training approach that incorporates different movements performed at the top of every minute. For
The Power of Community
Everyone has their reason for why they choose to be a part of a CrossFit gym. Some might join for the convenience of a one
What You’re Doing Daily that Could Harm You…
On a daily basis, we each spend time doing it: sitting. Some may have heard the phrase that “sitting is the new smoking” and while
A Helpful Hand: MyFitnessPal 101
Think about your past few days, and what you’ve had to eat and drink. Can you recall all that you consumed? Or further, can you
Change the Action Plan or Change the Goal?
So it might’ve been some time since you last determined a fitness goal for yourself. Maybe it was on your birthday, the start of the
Elimination before Moderation?
At some point when considering your daily nutrition, you might find yourself asking why it might be so hard to overcome cravings, tempting treats like
What to Expect in Your First 100 Days of Fitness… (Part 2)
So now that you’ve gotten a start of a new workout routine, you can expect to feel a little less winded in your workouts, seeing
From Hobby to Lifestyle – Written by Mary & Erick Guzman
Erick and I have been doing CrossFit for 3½ years. We absolutely love the CrossFit community in general and the CFDP community in particular! CrossFit
Overcoming the Summer Slump!
For whatever reason, the summer season fills our calendars, throws our routines in for a loop, and makes meal prepping and “sticking to the plan”
What to Expect in Your FIRST 100 Days of Fitness… (Part 1)
For many of us, committing to a start of a new routine habit–such as starting a new fitness program–is one of the hardest parts. We
Driven Nutrition Supplementation: Whey and AMINO
You may be thinking about whether you should supplement with one of our Driven Nutrition products at CrossFit Des Plaines. Two of our products, Driven
The Value of Your CrossFit Membership
Yes, the cost of your membership at a CrossFit box will be higher than your average globo gym down the street. Depending on the area
Eat This, Not That: BBQ Season Part 2
We’re in the midst of summertime, and if you haven’t already experienced it, you may be feeling like there are nonstop events, get togethers, celebrations
Learning Self-Forgiveness
At some point in our lives, many of us can say that we’re our own, biggest critic. We work hard, we make progress, yet, we
What YOU Need to Know about Ascent Casein!
We have brought a new product to supplement your nutrition, and more specifically, for continuous lean muscle growth. CrossFit Des Plaines is excited to announce
Sickness, Wellness, Fitness: A Continuum
Typically, we can gauge our individual health by our daily biomarkers such as how well we sleep, our energy levels throughout the day, how well
How to Lose the First 15+ Pounds
Whether it’s for an upcoming vacation, special occasion, or advice from our medical doctor, at some point, many individuals who come through CrossFit Des Plaines
Deload to Reload
While this isn’t always the case, every once in a while our athletes come to us saying that they are having nagging aches that won’t
InsideTracker: Look, Feel, Perform Better… It’s Legit!
It may be safe to say that many of us wake up each day thinking about how we can improve how we look, feel, and
Be Aware of the TOP 3 GOAL Killers
We all have our goals: whether they be fitness-related or our own personal goals, but how is it that there are so many obstacles that
96% of Your Day
About 96% of your day equates to the 23 hours you have outside of the walls of your CrossFit facility. You may be someone who
Strength in Numbers
It’s not just the numbers on our back squat, 500 meter row or scale weight. There are other strengths we find in other numbers, and
How We Begin: Set a Goal, Make a Decision
Earlier this week, we highlighted the article from the CrossFit Journal: “An Open Letter for those who need to Lose Weight” on our Facebook page.
Eat This, Not That: BBQ Season – Part 1
As the weather starts to get warmer and we are inching our way closer to May, here are some ways you can stay on track
Our Relationship with Food
As human beings, we tend to thrive on our relationships, especially with those of other human beings. However, we do also thrive on another type
To Eat or Not to Eat Before My Workout…
Typically, the answer is yes, however, there will be a variety of answers depending on each individual’s person’s preferences and daily schedule**. For those who
I Completed the CrossFit Open and now…
As we wrap up the 5-week long, worldwide CrossFit Open, we have seen such amazing growth within individuals as well as our community as a
CrossFit Perks #3: The Unseen Progress
After some time, we start to notice some markers of progress within our CrossFit journey: a few inches trimmed from our waist, our strength numbers
I remember my first…
Many of us can recall our firsts in CrossFit: your first “Workout of the Day”, rowing experience, successful pull up, or double under–the list goes
Positive Self-talk & Work/Life Balance
“Don’t believe everything you think.” – Allan Lokos Do you ever have days at work or in the gym where you feel like a superhuman
Mindset Movement: Fitness & Nutrition
We all have our own thoughts and conversations about our past, present and future state of fitness. Have you stopped to tune in to hear
TEAMWORK
Take a moment to think of your favorite, most successful teams in any competitive field and the characteristics that made them great. They probably did
Happy One Year Anniversary CFDP
Within the past year, we have witnessed numerous transformations–from the walls of our box, to the mindset of our athletes, as well as the continuously
CrossFit Perks #2 – Constantly Varied Fitness
When someone asks you, “What exactly is CrossFit?” isn’t it hard to explain? CrossFit HQ’s definition is “constantly varied, functional movements, executed at high intensity.”
Mindset Movement Campaign
How do the conversations in your head usually go? From the time you wake up, to the time you hit the hay, and throughout all
CFDP’s Intramural Open League
Last week, we shared why you should sign up for the CrossFit Open. Now that you’re all signed up, we have some exciting news for
